Goal now is to KO Dodgers

THE 3-BLOG LOUNGE: In the eyes of frustrated Giants fans, particularly those whose loyalty stretches back to the team’s early days in San Francisco, late-season satisfaction often comes in the form of beating the Dodgers — particularly if it costs L.A. a pennant. In light of the Giants’ latest disaster — yet another blowout loss to Colorado — their only realistic goal is to knock the Dodgers out of the postseason during the season’s final series at Mays Field. It’s so easy to visualize: Dodgers playing tight, Giants hang-loose with nothing to lose, perhaps saying farewell to manager Felipe Alou, Barry Bonds and a number of others. One last stand for an aging roster so badly in need of an overhaul.

The Giants may get a chance at the end of the season to prevent a Dodger celebration.

I’d love to see the faces of the grade-school kids leaving Dodger Stadium Monday night — the kids whose parents were smart enough to stick around for that epic finish. Grown men and women were delirious with joy after the Dodgers hit those four home runs in the bottom of the ninth, then beat the Padres on Nomar Garciaparra‘s two-run homer in the 10th; you can imagine the game’s impact on impressionable young minds. It was the kind of night that lodges baseball in the memory forever. Said J.D. Drew in the Dodger clubhouse: “A lot of guys are running around and they can’t even talk, from screaming so hard.”

It was interesting that the great Trevor Hoffman gave up the last two of those four solo homers that turned an apparent 9-5 victory into a 9-9 tie. Even more interesting to hear San Diego manager Bruce Bochy reveal that Hoffman has a tender shoulder … It wasn’t quite a Kirk Gibson moment for Garciaparra, but he admitted having trouble walking, let alone running, on his sore quadriceps muscle … Those four homers — Jeff Kent, Drew, Russell Martin and Marlon Anderson – came in the span of just seven pitches … As thrilled as the Dodgers were by that victory, they have bullpen problems that could cost them dearly. Brett Tomko has been absolutely terrible (wow, big shock there) and Aaron Sele, after those four homers rocked the building, committed the inexcusable act of giving up an immediate run to the Padres in the top of the 10th … That’s character: After leaving L.A. in disbelief, the Padres took the field against Arizona tonight and immediately scored four runs in the first … It wouldn’t be New York without some good-natured paranoia. The Mets won their division in a runaway, and they are an overwhelming favorite to represent the National League in the World Series, but people are suddenly worried about them having to face Jake Peavy, then David Wells in a possible matchup with San Diego.

I was 100 percent in favor of the Giants acquiring Steve Finley, and he deserves the utmost respect from everyone, but that play tonight — Matt Cain on the ropes, Finley stumbles on a line drive to center, two runs score — summed up the ’06 Giants all the way. Just a step or two slow … Meanwhile, Cain’s Rookie of the Year chances went right down the drain. If that seems unfair, remember that a lot of East Coast writers were only now beginning to pay attention. A horrendous loss in Colorado is exactly what he didn’t need … When Cain hit Matt Holliday in the first inning, the pitch was dangerously close to his head — but at that point, a knockdown pitch was the last thing Cain had in mind. The pitch completely got away from him. Still, Holliday’s revenge was impressive. Next time up, he saw an inside fastball on the first pitch. Not even slightly gun-shy, ready to do some heavy damage, Holliday got a low-and-away curve and jacked it out. That’s a confident hitter.

The Rockies just don’t get it, and they never have, and here’s why they’ve never had a chance this season: They signed Jose Mesa. Only a front office full of buffoons does that. He’s the biggest fraud in the game, a joke under pressure, a head-hunter who should be driven out of the game this winter and told never to return. The Rockies had no real reason to retaliate for Holliday; hell, the man did it himself, and it hadn’t been any kind of “message” by Cain. But no, Mesa has to be the big macho enforcer. Two out in the eighth, 0-2 count on Mark Sweeney, Mesa decides he’ll go head-hunting. Not the sensible type of retaliation pitch to the butt, abdomen or lower back, but something right around the skull. It was fascinating to watch the inning unfold on Mesa; before anybody knew it, Jeremy Affeldt was facing Bonds with only a four-run cushion and the bases loaded. Maybe a loss would have clued in the Rockies as to Mesa’s oppressive negativity. This is the guy who would have hit Omar Vizquel 18 straight times if it were up to him — all with pitches aimed to kill. I loved Duane Kuiper‘s remark when pitching coach Bob Apodaca came out to visit Mesa. Kuiper surmised Apodaca saying, “Don’t be an idiot, like you are.”